Adjustable key for use with locks in which the tumblers are movable parallel to the axis of the plug



. J. BORDA 2,473,273 LocKs IN WHICH THE E PARALLEL F THE PLUG C FOR USEWITH RS ARE ABL THE June 14, 1949.

` ADJUSTABLE KEY TUMBLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 2, 1948 mlmm if, L5

QMIIIMEJ June 14, 1949. c. J. BoRDA ADJUSTABLE KEY FOR USE WITH LOCKSlWHICH T TUMBLERS ARE MOVABLE PARA L To THE AXIS oF THE PLUG' Filed April2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .gow I 'afj'lasJwj'amill am'd 'MMS PatentedJune 14, 1949 marre-D Asin-Tes ATENT orties ADJUSTABLE KEY 'FOR USElWITH LOCKS IN WHICH ATHE TUMBLERS ARE MOVA'BLE PARALLEL T THE AXIS 0FTHE PLUG Carlos Jaramillo Borda, San Jose, Costa Rica ApplicationApril-'2, 1948, .Serial No. 18,668

(Cl. v'l0-411.)

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to an adjustable-key :for use with .locksof -the type in which the paths rof movement of the -tumblersareparallel to the iaxisof the plug.

There are many instances in which it is advantageous to provide a singlekey which is capa- -.ble fof opening fa plurality of locks. In most ofthese instances, it .has been customary to provide a. master or skeletonkey which is correlated toall of the locks to be opened. This expedienthas .the disadvantage that an unscrupulous person may come intopossession oi the master key, and thus .be .able 5to gain access to -allof the Acompartments or rooms which are locked. Even though such lanunscrupulous lperson might have temporary rather than permanent accessto the master key, he could have a duplicate master key manufactured, inwhich case the eventual result might -be :even worse .because lof ythefact that the .existence of `a :duplicate master key would .be unknowntothe appropriate individuals.

Even 'though .a key may -be designed to open a single lock-or a small:group :of locks, there vexists the possibility that the key may comeinto .the possession of unauthorized persons. In that event, aconventimial key can -be used :by .the unauthorizedperson Afor illegal-or illegitimate purposes.

The present` invention provides a Vkey which :is adjustable. Severalhundred illiousandadinete ments .are possible but :only one -of thoseadjustments will permit the key to Iopen a particular lock, .A keyconstructed in accordance with the present invention may be adjusted toopen any of a .large number of locks by .any authorized person haringknowledge of :the appropriate aol'- 4justifient tor .each lock. When thekey is 'intended 'for use with a .single lock, it is possible to move.certain elements of the key out' of ap propriate .adjustment and eventhough such key may come into the handset unauthorized persons there isan almost innitesimal .possibility that such persons. will .be able toappropriately adinet the key for opening the lock.

The primary object-of my invention iste-pro l vide. .an :adjustable1.key tor use with locks in which .the tumblers are movable in paths'parallel to the axis Vof theplug.

4Another object -oi my invention- -is toprovide an adjustable key .toruse with locksof the type ,described which can be easily yandl .quicklyad usted to open 4a lock. .or locks by any person authorized .to dosoand having. knowledge. yof the proper adjustment.

.A .further obiect fof theinventionis to-provide 2 such a key which issmall and rugged, and Vwhich 'can be manufactured and sold at areasonable cost.

For a more 'complete understanding of my invention, Areference is madeto the accompanying `drawings which illustrate preferred forms of myinvention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation View of a lock oi .the type with which thekey is intended to be used;

Fig. 2 is Ia transverse sectional view oi .the lock shown in Fig. 1, and.also showing, in cross-section, a key constructed in accordance withone form of the present invention, the key being illustrated in positionfor insertion into the lock;

Fig. 3 is a Ivfragmentary sectional view voi a lock and key whichillustrates the manner in which the key actuates the -tum-blers of thelock to permit rotation of the plug.

Fig., 4. is a .greatly enlarged view, partly in side elevation andpartly in section, of a key constructed in accordance with one form ofthe present invention:

Fig. 5 is an end elevation view of the iront or forward end of the key;

Fig. 6 is .a sectional view looking in the direction ofthe arrows alongthe line 5-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 'Tis a perspective view of one of the pin and block elements whichare vused with the form of key illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 vvis a perspective view of a clamp `used to retain the pin andblock elements in adusted position relative to the body member of thekey;

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of one of the stops 0r filler members usedwith the key; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional View illus'- tratingpa modified yformof lock and a correspond ingly modied-formof key.

For purposes `of illustration only the lock is shown as incorporated ina member l l, which may -be a door, the frontvof a vdesk drawer, or anyother appropriate member which it is desired to lock in a-iparticularposition. The lock includes a generally cup-shaped housing I2 which isshown as recessed into the member Il. The plug of the lock is designatedby the reference numeral and is rotatable within the housing l2 whencertain tumblers, which are hereinafter described, aree-in .appropriatepositions. The plug I3 is provided lwith. a .stem I4 which carries atone end a cam. or lever 15, which controls the bolt of any appropriate`locking mechanism which it is con sidered unnecessary to show in thedrawings. An annular ring t6 is secured to the housing i2 .and the.member yI-I by means of screws or.o.tl1e r appropriate fastening meansII in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 2. The inner edge of the annularring I8 overlies the outer edge of the plug I3 to prevent intentional oraccidental removal of the plug from the lock.

When the plug I3 occupies the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the leveror cam I5 is in position to retain the bolt of the lock in lockingposition. The plug I3 is prevented from rotating from this position bythe tumblers which are movable in paths which are parallel to the axisof the plug. The lock illustrated is provided with four tumblers, but itwill be obvious as the description proceeds that a greater or lessernumber of tumblers may be employed. These tumblers may be. andpreferably are, of different lengths. The tumblers I8 in Fig. 2 isillustrated as considerably longer than the tumbler I9. The tumblers I8and I9 are backed by compression springs 20 which are positioned inwells 2I in the housing I2. The outer ends of the tumblers I8 and I9abut against the heads 22 and 23 of pins 24 and 25, respectively. Thecombined lengths of the tumbler I8 and the head 22 is illustrated asbeing equal to the combined lengths of the tumbler I9 and the head 23.Plug I3 may be rotated to release or retract the bolIl of the lock onlywhile the tumblers I8 and I9 are in the positions illustrated in Fig. 3.It will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 3 that the key hasdepressed the tumbler I 8 into its well 2I a distance greater than hasbeen the case with the tumbler I9.

The foregoing brief description is sufficient to explain the manner ofoperation of the lock. Although there have been described the movementsof only two tumblers and pins, it should be understood that anyadditional tumblers or pins which may be embodied in the lock willfunction in a similar manner. It is preferable that in any given lock,no two of the tumblers are of the same length, thus making it necessaryto depress the pins which cooperate with the tumblers to differentextents to permit rotation of the plug of the lock.

The key illustrated in Figs. 2 to 9, inclusive, comprises a generallycylindrical body member 28 having passages 21 extending inwardly fromone end thereof. The pins 38 are arranged to be positioned in axialalignment with the pins of the lock in the manner best illustrated inFigs. 2 and 3. Channels 28 are formed in the Walls of the body member26, and these channels extend inwardly to the passages 2l'. The channels28 extend entirely to the leftward end of the body member 26 as thatmember is viewed in Fig. 4. These channels are arranged to receiveblocks 29, and the passages 2'I receive pins 30 which are carried by theblocks 29, preferably as integral parts thereof. The blocks 29 and thechannels 28 are of the configuration best illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7.The blocks 29 are slidable in the channels 28 longitudinally of the bodymember 26 and the pins 30 move within the passages 2 when the blocks 29are moved. It is thus possible to adjust the positions of the ends 3| ofthe pins 38.

A clamp is provided for each of the blocks 29 for the purpose ofclamping those blocks against the side Walls of the channels 28 toprevent longitudinal movement of the blocks 29 and the pins 38 relativeto the body member 26. One such clamp is best illustrated in Fig. 8 andcomprises a pair of parallel clamping members 32 and 33, which areconnected together by meansof a T- shaped lever 34. One arm of theT-shaped lever 34 is provided with righthand threads while the oppositearm is provided with leithand threads. The clamp is positioned within anotch in the block 29. This notch has downwardly diverging Walls as bestillustrated in Figs. 4 and 7, and the ends of the clamping members 32and 33 are complementarily diverging. It Will be apparent that when theblock 29 and its clamp are positioned in one of the channels 28, thelever 34 may be rotated in a, direction to cause spreading of theclamping members 32 and 33 into clamping engagement with the side wallsof the channel 28. I have shown the block 29 provided with recesses 35and 38 to permit greater movement of the lever 34 and to enable thatlever to be positioned below the surface of the key after appropriateadjustments have been made.

Each of the channels 28 is provided with a stop or ller block 3l, whichis best illustrated in Fig. 9. The body member 26 is externally threadedat its leftward end, as viewed in Fig. 4, for reception of an internallythreaded cap 38 which carries a handle member 39. The stops or llermembers S'I are also externally threaded at one end, as indicated by thereference numeral 48, and these external threads may cooperate with theinternal threads of the cap 38. It will thus be apparent that the stops31 may be adjusted longitudinally of the channels 28 when the cap 38 isremoved from the body member 26. It will also be apparent that the stops31 will be retained in any desired position upon replacement of the cap38 due to engagement of the internal threads of the cap with the threads48 on the stops. The stops or filler members 21 serve to limit theextent of movement of the blocks 29 in one direction, and they act as aiiller to give a rounded contour to the key.

A scale 4I is positioned on the body member 28 between each of thechannels 28, and the surface of each block 29 is provided with a vernierscale 42. The scale 4I and the Vernier scale 42 permit exact positioningof the blocks 29 and the pins 38.

The handle member 39 or the body member 26 may carry suitable indiciafor indicating proper angular orientation of the key relative to thelock.

In the form `of key illustrated in Figs. 2 to 9, inclusive, the ends 3|of the pins 30 never project beyond the corresponding end of the bodymember 26. It is therefore necessary for the pins of the lock, such asthose designated by the reference numerals 24 and 25, to protrude fromthe plug I3. In the form of lock and key illustrated in Fig. 10, theends 3Ia of the pins 30a protrude beyond the end of the body member ofthe key. In this form of the invention, the pins 24a, and 25a of thelock may be recessed within the plug I3a at all times. The lock and keyarrangements shown in Fig. 10 are in all other respects identical Withthe form above described.

The blocks 29 and the pins 38 must be individually adjusted to properpositions to enable the key to be used to open any particular lock. Thelock may be easily disassembled to permit interchanging of the sets oftumblers and their cooperating pin heads. Thus, the key settingrequiredfor the individual lock may be changed from time to time. Thekey may be used to open the lock while properly adjusted, and after usethe proper adjustment may be destroyed merely by moving one or more ofthe blocks 29. The lock can then be opened only by proper readjustment-of the key. When a user desires 5 to exercise abundant caution, he maydestroy the proper adjustment of the key by moving one or more of theblocks 29, and he may then make the readjustrnent of the key morediflicult by altering the positions of the stops 31 so that these stopsprevent proper positioning of one or more of the blocks 29. A single keymay be used to open a large number of locks, providing the person inpossession of the key is familiar with the proper adjustments of the keyfor each lock. The tumblers and their cooperating -pin heads must be inexactly the right positions to permit rotation of the plug, and thispermits the use of tumblers diiering in lengths by small increments. Anextremely large number of combinations of tumblers and pin heads maythus be used with any given lock. The possibility of using vsuch a largenumber of combinations of tumblers increases tremendously the number ofpossible adjustments of the key. Since there can be only one properadjustment, the Ipossibility that any unauthorized person may use thekey becomes almost nonexistent.

The illustrated forms of my invention are to be Iregarded as exemplaryonly and various changes and modifications may be resorted to Withoutdeparting from the broader aspects of the invention as dei-ined by thefollowing claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An adjustable key for use in locks of the type in which a pluralityof tumblers extend parallel to the axis of the plug, said keycomp-rising a body member defining a plurality of parallei passagesextending inwardly from one end thereof, said passages being arrangedfor axial alignment with corresponding tumblers of the plug oi the lockwith which the key is to be used. channels in the side walls of saidbody member extending inwardly to said passages, blocks slidable in saidchannels and having pins which extend into said passages for engagementat their forward ends with tumblers of the lock, and laterallyexpandable clamps carried by said blocks for clamping engagement withthe walls of said channels to prevent movement of said blocks and pinsrelative to said body member.

2. An adjustable key as described in claim 1. in which said blocks areprovided with notches and said clamps are positioned in said notches.

3. An adjustable key as described in claim 1, in which said blocks areprovided with notches and each of said clamps comprises a pair ofparallel members positioned in said notches and having means for forcingsaid members into engagement with opposite walls of said channels.

4. An adjustable key as described in claim 1, in which said pins extendentirely through said passages and protrude from the end of said bodymember.

5. An adjustable key as described in claim 1, in which said pinsterminate in said passages.

CARLOS JARAMILLO BORDA.

No references cited.

